Fang Yuan Contributes a Plan
The chestnut yak refuses to climb back up, and Fang Yuan, judging the beast weak and its Gu Immortal useless, dispels his immortal killer move. Twelfth Hair cups his fists and admits defeat, calling Fang Yuan truly amazing. They have sparred several times, losing now normal for him. Fang Yuan advises more practice and trading this weak yak for a different beast. Twelfth Hair sighs that treasure yellow heaven’s closure prevents this, since a sect rule makes him bear the cost himself, and even the beast enslavement Immortal Gu he uses is not his own. ch. 1081
Watching him go, Fang Yuan feels satisfaction, having earned twenty more sect contribution points. He has kept similar contact with other hairy man Gu Immortals besides Twelfth Hair. Sixth Hair’s repeated visits to Fang Yuan’s cloud city left a small flaw, since a barrier sits between Fang Yuan and the hairy man Gu Immortals, whom humans still persecute, and such visits would certainly stir doubts. ch. 1081
Sixth Hair let it be known he sought Fang Yuan to raise his battle strength, truly lacking after Shadow Sect’s invasion. To make this credible, he sparred with the other hairy man Gu Immortals and defeated them all, using only a little of his skill. Even Lang Ya land spirit heard of it and praised Sixth Hair, encouraging others to seek guidance. Following Sixth Hair’s lead, others sought Fang Yuan out. Fang Yuan welcomed every one of them. ch. 1081
This cost nothing and paid three ways. Good relations with the hairy men mattered, since he depended on Lang Ya Sect, and cooperating covered the earlier flaw. He needed contribution points too, since Lang Ya Sect’s strength would run mainly on points, not private bargains. The land spirit has issued sect missions to guide hairy man Gu Immortals to higher battle strength, work he is not suited to, leaving Fang Yuan the only candidate. ch. 1081
Over these days Fang Yuan guided many hairy man Gu Immortals to an extremely warm response. Sixth Hair’s example and Fang Yuan’s own sociability changed their impression of him hugely. His sect contribution points now total over one hundred and forty, against about three hundred earned earlier for lending Dang Hun Mountain and Luo Po Valley. He judges this lucrative. He decides to trade for flowing light fruits, heading for the first cloud city. ch. 1081
There he meets Lang Ya land spirit, who praises change form Immortal Gu: this hairy man form has almost no flaw, unless the land spirit uses investigative Immortal Gu. Fang Yuan wore it on a sudden idea, playing to the land spirit’s belief in hairy men rulership. Fang Yuan sighs: the transformation is incomplete, since he lacks everlasting Immortal Gu to become a true Lang Ya Sect member. He claims to be deeply moved, finding the hairy men forthright and warm against crafty humans, and calls this home he cannot leave. Lang Ya land spirit laughs and pats his shoulder, calling such awareness very good. ch. 1081
Were the land spirit to learn Fang Yuan had transacted with a Shadow Sect spy, he would flay him alive, but he knows none of it. He mentions hearing much good of Fang Yuan lately. Fang Yuan asks to trade points for flowing light fruits. The land spirit calls it a small matter, allowed as long as his contributions are enough. ch. 1081
Fang Yuan pretends hesitation, observing that the hairy men’s battle strength badly needs raising, since they primarily cultivate refinement path, whose offensive methods fall short of other paths. The land spirit agrees, this being exactly his own worry. Fang Yuan proposes transformation path. Blood path raises battle strength fastest, but even a slight rise in its cultivation exposes them on Heavenly Court’s Demon Judgment Board, so it will not do. Lang Ya land spirit approves, wary himself of blood path breeding internal strife. ch. 1081
Besides blood path, transformation path raises battle strength fastest, its threshold low, since any transformation is itself a killer move. Lang Ya Sect holds many transformation recipes but few killer moves. Refinement path first, transformation path second, would let them use their strengths and cover weaknesses. A desolate beast’s tougher body would leave room to recover from a battle mistake, unlike fire or water path, where an extremely weak body means extreme danger. Transforming into desolate beasts would also disguise the hairy men’s identities, since the five regions are still ruled by humans. ch. 1081
